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A Spiritual Father to a New Flock (3464)

Bishop Robert Vasa reflects on first year shepherding the Diocese of Santa Rosa.

Moving from the Diocese of Baker in rural eastern Oregon to the San Francisco Bay Area has been a major transition for Bishop Robert Vasa. He has traveled far from the Lincoln, Neb., farm where he grew up, the grandson of Czech immigrants, and now leads a large and diverse diocese. But he hasn’t let the transfer impede his drive to be a spiritual father to his flock.

Since becoming bishop of the Diocese of Santa Rosa, Calif., one year ago, he has become fully engaged as shepherd of 171,887 Catholics living within his 11,711-square-mile diocese, stretching from Petaluma to the Oregon border. Last August, he invited two sisters from the Spokane, Wash.-based Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Church to his diocese.

At the end of March, he was the keynote speaker of the “Make Straight the Pathway” conference on Catholic health care in San Francisco. At the end of April, he spoke at a men’s conference in the Napa Valley. This October, he will kick off an evangelization initiative that is still in the planning stages.

But there is more to his life as a bishop than these activities. His is a life filled with devotion, leading by example. In a recent interview, he discussed current issues as well as his own spiritual life.

You’ve now been in the Bay Area for a year. How do you feel the area can be evangelized?

We have a diverse set of priests and laity. They are the seedbeds of evangelization. We need formation of evangelized people who can carry it to the streets. The work of Christ is largely spiritual. There should be perpetual adoration in each parish.

How can cultural and cafeteria Catholics be evangelized?

All we can do is teach the truths of the faith consistently and charitably. People have a tendency to say “I believe” — and for many people it tends to be an opinion rather than an act of faith. It’s more of an “I accept it, therefore I believe it” rather than “I believe it, therefore I accept it.” Few people believe what the Church teaches. It requires faith and trust in the word of someone else. We have to submit ourselves in our faith; it takes humility. It’s not easy to set aside one’s own opinions to follow the Church, to believe and accept it.

What is the difference between conscience and opinion?

There is a huge difference. Conscience is a judgment: What does the Church teach? An individual looks at a particular action: Is it consistent with the body of teaching? An opinion is how I think or feel, regardless of teaching.

How should Catholics act politically?

Politics deal with people’s relations with each other. Love your neighbor as yourself is the ethics of politics. Catholics have a right to intervene when rights are violated. “Thou shalt not steal” is a commandment; it’s a law. The law does enforce morality. If society or government determined theft was no longer wrong, there would be chaos. We believe killing is wrong. Those who are innocent should never be killed. A baby in the womb is a person; the human entity exists prior to birth. There is a right, a true and a good.

Health care has become highly politicized. What do you think of Queen of the Valley Hospital’s (Napa) decision in March to provide tubal ligations only as indirect sterilization for health reasons rather than prevent pregnancy?

I commend Queen of the Valley for making the decision. The system is moving uniformly. It is probably a good thing, provided they stay true to Catholic morals and ethics.

What did you discuss at the “Make Straight the Pathway” conference?

I have a friend with the Christus Medicus Foundation who has brought it to the West Coast. I brought a moral component. Some health care is not health care at all. Contraception and sterilization cause healthy organs to malfunction. However, fertility treatments aren’t covered, and IVF (in vitro fertilization) replaces the marital relation. I want Catholics to be prudent buyers of health care. Health care is with the whole person: body, soul and spirit. I’m supporting and promoting respect for life from conception to natural death. The HHS mandate undermines respect for life.

How should Catholics reach out in a relativistic society?

All we can do is teach the truths of the faith consistently and charitably. Everything we say ought to be orthodox. There should be right teaching and right practice. The faithful lay Catholics need to make contact with them (non-Catholics/non-Christians). They need to find those opportunities. It’s a moment of encounter. In times of crisis, people will stop to say, “What’s really important?” They’re used to living moment to moment. The primary role of lay Catholics is to reach out to other Christians.

What are your plans for the evangelization initiative in October?

It’s a draft; it’s not ready for prime time. I have given a copy to priests. The faithful are in need of strengthening and need [guidance] to incorporate authentic beauty in the liturgy. Hopefully, through God’s grace, we can bring in solid teachers for the faith. We need a formation of evangelized people who can carry it to the streets. The evangelization initiative is: How do we engage our Catholics and lost brethren? We have to show the Church is good for society and good for mankind.

You recently spoke at the Napa Valley Men’s Conference. What did you discuss? What is men’s spirituality, and why do you focus on evangelizing them?

The spirituality of men is different from women. This conference gave men a chance to claim their own identity. Men are 50% of the population. There is a significant emphasis on women’s spirituality. We tend to focus a lot on Mary and not so much on Joseph. There were 300 to 400 men at the conference. My talk was “The Husband as Priest in the Domestic Church.” I gave a talk on fatherhood. The family is a domestic Church, according to the documents of the Second Vatican Council. There are prayers, rituals, a liturgy of meals. I talked about the importance of men stepping up and showing leadership, as well as the beauty and dignity of worship. I told men that the family is a parish entrusted to them.

How does men’s spirituality differ from women’s? How can Catholic men be strengthened?

Men and women are different physically; how they perceive and pray is different. We are afraid to use the term “leadership of men,” when it doesn’t demean women. I inspired men to be more active in their faith, to take up their crosses and follow Christ in a consistent way. The Sunday Mass is going to the well; I told men to see the sacraments as a source of strength. I support and encourage men by being there.

What devotions are important to you?

I say Mass every day and have an hour in chapel. I keep God at the center of my life. I read Catholic magazines and books. I deepen knowledge of the Lord and his way. I try to say the Rosary each day. Prayerful devotion is a source of tremendous spiritual power. Devotion to Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament is the summit, the high point in life.

What books and publications are important to your spirituality?

I like books such as The Soul of the Apostolate (by Dom Jean-Baptiste Chautard), St. Francis de Sales’ Treatise on the Love of God and Introduction to the Devout Life. These are books that stand the test of time and have fundamental spiritual principles. Pop spirituality isn’t substantive.

How would you describe your spiritual life?

I recognize Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior. It’s not excessively familiar. I deepen my knowledge of the Lord and his way. Czech tradition is a father-oriented society, so the primary relationship is with the Father. Mary is there as a constant source of encouragement. It is about living every day with the Eucharist. I want to lead in a quiet, strong way like St. Joseph.

What do you consider success as a bishop?

What really matters is the salvation of others. Helping others to lead holier lives is a single-minded goal. There is the heresy of numbers. The genuine measure is people faithful to the Gospel. The strength of the Church is the number of religious vocations; it’s a telling measure. It’s more about the salvation of souls than jumping through hoops. My apostolate is showing up. People want to know that they matter and you listen to them. It’s about living every day with the Eucharist.

Comments

I am not Catholic. I am a Christian. I no longer live in Sonoma County. I occasionally read the local newspaper online. Tonight was one of them. I thank you Bishop for standing up for the truth and what is right in regards to those teaching our future leaders. Our children attend a small private Christian school in Merced County. The entire staff & teachers all sign a code of conduct. Stay the course. May God continue to give you wisdom as you go forward. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” Eph. 6:12 Many blessings and prayers~~

Posted by Pam on Sunday, Jun 17, 2012 3:25 PM (EST):

The Bishop said some beautiful things speaking about the Spiritual being the answer. Faith being the answer; speaking about his prayer life and how God-centered we should all be. He also said some things that raise more questions. Please be patient with me and answer if you can, what does he mean that spirituality is different for men and women? Jesus spoke the same to both. He had both in the upper room and among His disciples and expected the same from both. The Holy Spirit came down on both in the upper room and in the conversions of the Jews. The problem may not be male v. female, but how we look at people in general. Where is our focus? Is it doing the task at hand to the greater glory of God or is it in defending our status. Are men being taught that? Are women? Jesus recognized mankind’s tendency to seek honor and power and hierarchies but said words to the effect, “It shall not be like that among you. You shall not lord it over one another. No male or female, slave or free, but one in the body of Christ.” So what is the Bishop saying when he says this? How is it different? Also I understand that the Church wants to bring men back to the Church and started holding conferences just for them to make them more comfortable and to reinforce their male gifts, but once they are back shouldn’t they be instructed together with the women at conferences? Why the separation? It seems scandalous that the sexes are separated as though they are just males and females and not Christian members united as the body of Christ! There is a male/female division being created that Jesus spoke directly against in the quote above. We are one. Our sights are set on what is above. We are no longer slaves to the flesh. Granted that men and women are physically different but it doesn’t mean in the task to be done that only one sex can do it. They can usually both do the task. They will just do it differently based on their gifts or lack thereof. Is all this being denied? The separation also feeds stereotypes and sexism and misogeny which fosters the culture of death (as it relates to abortion and homosexual relations)- the Spirit does not. Also, in following the link on the women religious he asked to join him there are comments that this group, which split from an order that has not recognized the Popes since Vatican II, has had many splits since then and many headed to the LCWR. Seems like their own history is just another can of worms for the faithful to deal with. What about obdedience? What about fidelity? Do we really need confused leaders? Further, in speaking of his prayer life he describes Jesus as his Lord and Savior, “it’s not excessively familiar”. Why does he make that comment? Does he regret that or feel indifferent to that or think that such a thing really exists? Can you be excessively familiar with Jesus? The Apostle John rested on Jesus chest. Peter, James, and John were invited to intimate moments in Jesus’ mission while nine other apostles were not. It seems we are many parts and one body and God can be generous to who He wants. Does the Bishop agree with this? Finally, is there a book on St. Joseph that the Bishop would recommend? A follow up interview with him to clarify these points would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.

Posted by DJ on Saturday, Jun 16, 2012 5:18 PM (EST):

Bishop Vasa mentions leading with a quiet strength - a presence akin to that of St. Joseph in the Holy Family. I can attest that this is not only Bishop’s personal goal but it is a realityin the manner in which he leads. Bishop Vasa has a clear, gentle yet dogged style which is deeply rooted in the Eucharist and solid moral teaching. He is as interested in the 12 member youth group as the 440 men conference and shows this by his presence and participation. The two Sisters mentioned, as well as two others who have joined them, are now known as the Marian Sisters of Santa Rosa - http//mariansisters.com

Posted by Deacon Ed Peitler on Friday, Jun 15, 2012 3:57 PM (EST):

He’s a model bishop for all other bishops to emulate.

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